Delicious Ambiguity
by ShiandSaisei
Summary: Some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment, and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. Set during 5th book
1. Prologue

Prologue

"Al, do I _have_ to wear this…this thing?" A golden haired man stood in front of a large ornate mirror holding a crimson silk cravat. His hair was coming loose from the hastily tied braid; strands were hanging across his face, getting in his eyes. His brother was standing by the bay window on the other side of the room and laughed as he took in his brother's dishevelled appearance.

"Really Ed, anyone would think it was you getting married and I was the best man, not the other way around!" Al exclaimed coupled with a bout of good humoured laughter. "And yes, you do have to wear it. You know Winry has the whole day planned to the minutest detail. If she sees you standing next to me at the altar _without _wearing this _'thing'_, you will have so many wrenches thrown at your head you wouldn't be able to perform alchemy again, got it?"

"Yeah, yeah. I've got it." Ed turned back to the mirror and attempted to copy Al's earlier success at tying the cravat. However, when he had finished, rather than resembling the neatly tied knot adorning his brother's neck, Ed's resembled a hangman's noose.

Hearing the muffled string of curses, Al gently smiled and walked over to his brother and untied the piece of silk, starting over. Following the practiced steps that Winry had drilled into him in the run-up to the wedding he was able to successfully tie his brother's cravat, pinning it with a gold diamante pin.

"Hmm, this makes me feel like I'm the big brother." Al thought aloud, much to Ed's chagrin.

"Who you calling so short that even an ant would need a magnifying glass to see him?"

"Nobody brother" Al sighed but inwardly chuckled at his brother's familiar antics. "Put your waistcoat and jacket on and we'll be ready to leave."

Ed swiftly donned the heavy satin waistcoat that was a dark cream in colour with a deep crimson swirl pattern embroidered upon it. Throwing the soft black jacket on top and placing a red silk handkerchief in the chest pocket, Ed turned to his younger brother in complete seriousness. It was time to fulfil one of the main jobs as position of best man, a job of which he had been notified of by Fuery.

"Umm, well, Al…you see the thing is, I'm your best man and all so…" At this point Al interjected, much to Ed's relief.

"If you are going to ask me if I think I am making the right decision in marrying Winry, my answer is very simple. I love her and ever since we returned from Germany, all I have thought about is the day I would take her hand in marriage. So yes, this is probably going to be the best decision I have made in all my life."

Ed exhaled held in breath in a sign of alleviation. "Thank god! I was deathly worried about what Winry would do to me if I inadvertently talked you out of the wedding!"

Al laughed and chucked Ed a pair of silk white gloves which he hastily put on, covering both his flesh and automail hands.

"Come on, let's go. Winry's probably going to be waiting for us at the altar if we stall much longer!"

"Do you Alphonse Elric, take Winry Rockbell to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health till death do you part?"

Al beamed at his radiant bride and clearly stated "I do" making Winry blush with happiness.

"And do you, Winry Rockbell, take Alphonse Elric to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health till death do you part?"

Smiling gently at her fiancé, soon to be husband, Winry also said, "I do."

"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride." Al and Winry shared a sweet but tender kiss, pouring into it all their love and devotion towards each other.

Ed rolled his eyes at the several wolf whistles heard from the more boisterous guests, many of whom were military men, but continued to smile and applaud the happy event he had just witnessed. This time a year ago, Ed hadn't even envisaged stepping foot in Amestris again, let alone watching his brother marry someone he thought he had lost forever. It was pretty much a fluke that they were able to return to Amestris. After tracking down Huskisson on the other side of the gate, the brother's found that he was going to give his technology on nuclear weapons to a large nation, who was already on the verge of developing weapons of mass destruction. In attempt to stop this from happening, Ed and Al made to steal the atomic bomb. However, something went wrong during the heist and the bomb was triggered. Since arriving back in Germany with his brother, Ed had never used alchemy but in desperation, Ed found himself acting on instinct and picturing the alchemic array in his head. When the bomb went off, the energy from the explosion was absorbed by the array, causing it to activate. The particular array that had been activated brought Ed and Al in front of the Gate. The energy released from the Uranium bomb was substantial enough to open the gate and pass through to the other side, returning to Amestris.

Winry was overjoyed when they had returned; saying that she always knew they would come back one day. And now there they were, in Amestris, Ed watching his baby brother and childhood friend be joined in matrimony. It was one of the happiest moments of his life.

'_God, I do sound like the groom!' _Ed inwardly mused and gently chuckled at the thought. He was about to walk up to the newly wed couple and offer his congratulations when there was the echo of muffled shouting from outside the room followed by the sound of several gunshots. Several of the younger children present began to cry and huddle together. The members of the state military present were caught off guard, many not having anticipated an attack had left their firearms at home.

Hawkeye, however, had her trusty pistol on her, already cocked and in her hands. Mustang was standing next to her, pulling on his white gloves with his patented alchemic array stitching. Al moved in front of Winry while Ed moved away from the altar, closer to the door leading out of the room.

Several moments passed in which the only sounds to be heard were the soft whisperings of the wedding guests and the hushed sobs from the younger children. Then hell broke loose.

The heavy oak door wasn't so much flung open as it was ripped off its hinges by the force of an explosion from the other side. Through the billowing clouds of smoke, a tall silhouette emerged and moved towards the wedding party. In his right hand, he clearly held a large firearm.

Ed stiffened as his face came into view once the dust cleared. _'Shit!'_ It was the brother of a man Ed had arrested several months ago for his supposed involvement in a terroristic plot against Central. He had been found guilty and was executed three days ago.

"YOU BASTARD!" the intruder shouted, lifting his gun up. "YOU TOOK MY BROTHER AWAY FROM ME!"

There was the crack of a gun being fired, followed almost immediately by the same sound. Smoke wisped out of the barrel of both the trespasser's gun, as well as Hawkeye's. A red rose bloomed upon the man's white shirt, prior to his keeling over, succumbing to the darkness.

Ed looked down and saw no injury whatsoever, not even to his automail. _'Who did __**he**__ shoot?'_ A strangled cry from the altar made Ed's heart stop and the blood freeze in his veins. He turned around to see Winry sobbing over the form of his brother, her once white dress now splattered with blood. Blood that was pooling out of the bullet hole in Al's chest.

"Al!" Ed cried as he ran towards his motionless sibling. Crouching down next to him, opposite Winry, Ed pulled off his glove and checked for his brother's pulse. It was there. Faint, but it was still there.

However, it was fading. Al didn't have long. The bullet must've punctured a lung or even hit the heart. All Ed knew was that his brother was dying.

'_No, Al! You can't die! I won't let you leave Winry a widow after only a few minutes of marriage. I will not let you pay for __**my**__ mistakes. Not again!'_

Ignoring the cries of his superior officer behind him ordering him to stop, Ed clapped his hands activating the alchemic array in his mind.

He was brought to the gate.

"Save my brother!" Ed called out to the gate. "Save him and take whatever payment you deem fit; be it my heart, mind or soul!" Ed felt the presence of Truth wash over him and heard a voice resonate within his head.

"_The equation must be balanced. A world is in turmoil causing the formulae to become unequal. Fix it and your debt is filled. I believe that is equivalent exchange."_

Hundreds of phantom hands uncoiled from the entrance of the gate and stretched towards Ed. Offering no resistance, Ed allowed himself to be pulled from one side of the gate, through to the other. _'My life for Al's. Equivalence.'_

The rhythmic beeping caused Ed to awake from his slumber. Opening his eyes, he was forced to screw them shut to escape the onslaught of bright white light attacking his retina. Attempting to open his eyes a second time, Ed allowed himself to become adjusted to the surreal brightness and observed that he was lying in a single bed with scratchy sheets, connected to several machines monitoring several of his bodily functions.

'_A hospital then. But the last thing I remember was passing through the gate. Was it a dream? Or am I in that Germany place again?'_

The door opened and an elderly man wearing what resembled a white lab coat and holding a manila file entered. Seeing that Ed was awake, he smiled and started to speak. Unfortunately Ed had no idea what he was saying.

'_Another world then.'_

Realising Ed couldn't understand what he was saying, the doctor changed language. Still seeing Ed's bemused face, he tried a third; striking gold in the process.

"**Do you speak German?"**

Ed smirked lightly and replied in the same language, **"Yes, do you mind telling me where I am?"**

Relieved at finding a common language the doctor proceeded to say, **"You are in Guys Hospital. A group of teenagers brought you in after finding you collapsed in an alleyway; you seem to have contracted few injuries but may suffer from concussion. Would you mind if I ask you some questions?"**

Ed nodded hesitantly at the doctor's request who went on to ask, **"What is your name?"**

"**Edward Elric"**

"**Good, now, where do you live?"**

Ah, that question was a bit more tricky. **"I don't know."**

The answer caused the doctor to frown slightly and note something down on his clipboard. **"Do you have any friends or family close by?"**

Again, another tricky question which demanded the same answer, **"I don't know."**

The doctor frowned. **"I see. Well, this rather complicates things. It is likely that a hit to the head has caused some amnesia. Hopefully its temporary, but we're going to have to get someone to help you find your family. How old are you Edward?"**

"**Seventeen, I'm going to be eighteen soon though."**

"**Well, while you have no recollection of your family, you will have to stay in the care of the Social. At least until we find your family, or in the worst case scenario until you turn eighteen. I'll find someone to help teach you English as well."**

The doctor made to leave but turned back round to face his patient when he heard him subtly cough for attention.

"**I know you said I am in Guy's Hospital but where exactly is that?" **

The doctor looked marginally stunned at Ed's question, but remembering his earlier diagnosis of amnesia answered, **"You're in London, England."**

Ah, London. Yes, Ed had heard of London during his stint in Germany. **"And umm, what is the date?"**

"**Oh, it's the 24****th**** October."**

Ed shifted on the bed slightly before clearing his throat and asking, **"And the year?"**

Again the doctor stiffened at the question, wondering just how bad Edward's memory loss was before answering, **"It's 1993 Ed."**

Seeing the young man's crestfallen expression, the doctor patted him on the shoulder, **"Don't worry Ed, we'll fix it."**

'_No, that is my debt to pay. I am here to fix it, to right the balance in this world. That is equivalent exchange.'_

**A/N OK, I know what all of you must be thinking. Why the hell have I posted a HPxFMA fix with no Harry Potter-ness? Don't worry, it will arrive, I just had to set the scene for Ed's arrival into our world as that is the most AU part of the fic.**

**This fic is going to be set during the 5****th**** book, **_**Order of the Phoenix, **_**and several years after this prologue. I haven't decided yet on the pairings, or even if there are going to be any, but I am very open to suggestions. So go ahead, suggest away.**

**Umm, I think that's all I have to say except, thanks for reading, please review and I will try and have the first chapter up soon XD**


	2. Chapter 1: Fear Is Here

_To use fear as the friend it is, we must retrain and reprogram ourselves...We must persistently and convincingly tell ourselves that the fear is here--with its gift of energy and heightened awareness--so we can do our best and learn the most in the new situation._

_Peter McWilliams_

The hottest day following a series of hot days was finally drawing to a close as the fat orange sun dipped further into the horizon, beyond the uniform rows of large houses in Privet Drive. The street was eerily silent, only the soft whisper of a promised breeze could be heard, as the inhabitants had retreated back to the shelter of their homes; relying on fans, air conditioning and cool refreshing drinks to keep the unbearable stifling heat at bay. Only one boy dared to brave the high temperatures and stay outside. That boy was Harry Potter and he was currently lying flat on his back in the dirt, hidden from view by a large hydrangea bush.

Harry sighed. All he wanted to do was watch the news, but no. The Dursley's based all their thoughts of the teenage population around their observations of their beloved son, Dudley. If Dudley didn't want to watch the news, why should Harry? He would normally have received news via owl post but as of late letters have been a non-existent luxury. Therefore he had resorted to hiding and eavesdropping in order to find out world events on the off-chance that happenings in the wizarding world had been spotted by any of the muggle population.

Harry strained his ears as the news broadcast began to be read.

"_Record numbers of stranded holidaymakers fill airports as the Spanish baggage-handlers' strike reaches its second week-"_

"Give 'em a lifelong siesta, I would." Harry heard his uncle snarl at the television screen and sighed at his ignorant attitude. However, he did release some of the tension that had been building up prior to hearing the news. Death and destruction would have been mentioned before the plight of several stranded holidaymakers.

Once the newsreader had reached the news of a water-skiing budgie who goes by the name Bungy, Harry knew that there would be nothing worth hearing and flipped over onto his stomach, beginning to crawl out from underneath the large bush. However, a large _crack_ resonated across the empty street, causing a cat to fly from its hiding place under a stationary car and leave Harry's field of vision. Jumping to his feet, wand in hand, ready for action; Harry collided with the open window of the Dursley's living room with a sickening crack, which caused his Aunt Petunia to scream from her vantage point within the room.

Harry's head felt like it was about to fall apart and tears were pooling in the corners of his eyes in response to the pain he felt. However, he stood swaying and endeavoured to locate the source of the noise.

'_What is that? It looks like electricity…like blue lightening'_

Harry tried to focus on the strange phenomenon before him but was unable to when two large purple hands reached through the open window and closed tightly around his throat.

"_Put-it-away! Now! Before-anyone-sees!" _His uncle menacingly ordered. A struggle ensued between the pair as Harry attempted to squirm out of his uncle's grasp. However, as a particularly nasty throb resonated throughout his already aching skull, Vernon was pushed back and yelped as if he had received a rather formidable electric shock. Looking up, Vernon noticed several curious stares emanating from his neighbours across the road.

"Lovely evening! Did you hear that car backfire just now? Gave Petunia and me quite a turn!" Uncle Vernon called across to one of the neighbours in a sickeningly innocent voice, a manic grin plastered across his wobbling purple face. Turning to the raven-haired youth who had slipped out of his grasp, he snarled, "What the hell do you think you're playing at boy?"

However Harry was paying little attention to the man before him who looked as if he was about to suffer from a major aneurism; instead was scanning the area for any hints of the blue sparks he had earlier seen. There were none.

"Well, what do you have to say for yourself, boy?" Uncle Vernon continued to rage. Frustrated that he may have missed the first glimpse of magic through the entirety of the summer holidays, Harry felt his temper rising and shouted back "Nothing, you _stupid fool!_" Striding across the front lawn, he vaulted the low wall and set off in the direction he thought he had seen the sparks appear.

Ignoring the frustrated bellow thrown towards his retreating back; Harry continued down the street, looking for any clue to a magical presence. Nothing appeared to be out of place.

'_Maybe it was just a car backfiring, but I could've sworn I saw blue sparks. Or maybe that was just my overactive imagination playing up due to having limited contact with the wizarding world?'_

Letting his feet lead him, Harry headed towards a relatively empty park. All children who usually came here to play had returned home to meet their curfew, only the strange blonde adolescent was present. He sat cross-legged upon the graffiti stained bench; hastily scribbling in a tatty notepad, a lit cigarette in the corner of his mouth. He stopped writing every now and then to take a deep drag upon the cigarette and then continued again to write.

Harry recognised him as Edward Elric, but his name was the one of the few things he, or anyone of Privet Drive, knew about the boy. He moved down the road from Harry around a year ago and during that time, Edward had done so little in getting to know the inhabitants of the neighbourhood that he had earned the reputation of being an anti-social recluse. 

The other two things that could be observed about the young man were that when he did speak, he had a slight German accent and that no matter what the weather, he _always _wore gloves.

Even today, one of the hottest days of year, Harry could clearly see he was wearing a pair of crisp white gloves. _'Weird.' _Not even attempting to make conversation with the strange man, Harry sat on one of the few swings that hadn't been wrecked and enjoyed the stillness of dusk, the silence only interrupted by the soft _scritch _of pen upon paper which was oddly calming.

He was unaware how long he had been sitting aimlessly upon the swing before he was dragged back to reality by the sound of voices getting closer to the park. He could easily recognise the tenor of the louder voice being that of his lout of a cousin, Dudley, making the others members of his gang. Sure enough, the group ambled into the park, several of them pushing rather expensive racing bikes.

Harry found himself wishing for them to come and have a go. He was in a foul mood, but it would lift his spirits to see Dudley try to get out of that dilemma without either losing face to his friends or provoking his magical relative. However, it wasn't only Harry in the park and the blonde was much closer to the gang.

"Oi, Elric, got a cigarette?" One of the boys shouted across. Elric looked up with a raised eyebrow and asked, "Vell, vhat vould you give me in return?" in his Germanic accent.

The gang laughed, although Dudley had withdrawn slightly. He had noticed Harry.

The boy who spoke before called out, "_Vell_" he started, mocking Elric's accent, "I don't have anything to give you."

Harry noticed that Elric's expression had turned rather stony at the mockery thrown at him and answered in relatively clipped tones, "Then, no I do not have a cigarette." As if to add insult to injury, the blonde reached into his jacket pocket, pulled out a packet of cigarettes. Pulling out a single cigarette using his mouth, he lit it using a tarnished silver lighter. Harry could see him lightly smirking at the gang, making him smile in turn.

The boy who had asked for a cigarette looked pissed but appeared too scared to outright square up to the blonde. Dudley's gang had a tendency for beating up frightened ten year olds, not for taking on nineteen to twenty year olds. Muttering something about stingy bastards, he and the majority of the group made their farewells and exited the park; leaving an apprehensive Dudley, a smirking Elric and a grinning Harry.

Calling over to his cousin, Harry asked "So who have you been beating up tonight? Another ten year old? I know you did Mark Evans two nights ago-"

"He was asking for it, he cheeked me" Dudley justified.

"Yeah? Did he say you look like a pig that's been taught to walk on its hind legs? 'Cause that's not cheek, Dud, that's true." Elric snickered lightly at this comment, making Harry start. He had forgotten that he had an audience for his taunting.

"You think you're a big man carrying that thing around don't you?" Dudley retorted, making Harry resist the urge to facepalm. _'He can't just talk about magic in front of complete strangers. Hopefully Elric will just think Dudley is talking about a knife or something.'_

Resisting the urge to pull out his wand and scare his cousin even more, Harry just replied, "Whereas you need four mates behind you before you can beat up a ten year old. You know that boxing title you keep banging on about? How old was your opponent? Seven? Eight?"

Dudley snarled at the insult, "For your information he was sixteen, and was out for twenty minutes once I had finished with him. You just wait until I tell dad about your cheek!"

"Ooh! Running to daddy? I'm soo scared!" Harry said, sarcasm dripping from every word.

"You're not this brave at night, are you?"

"What are you talking about? This _is _night. That's what we call it when it goes all dark like this." Harry replied, Elric's presence had been completely forgotten.

"I mean when you're in bed. I _heard_ you talking in your sleep. _Don't kill Cedric, don't kill Cedric!_ Who's Cedric, your boyfriend?"

Harry's heart stopped. "Y-You're lying" he answered automatically, although he knew he wasn't. How else could Dudley possibly have known about Cedric?

"_Dad, help me dad. He's killed Cedric, please help!_" Dudley continued in his taunting of his younger cousin.

"Shut it Dudley" Harry hissed through clenched teeth. However, he took no notice and continued to mock the raven.

"_Please, dad, mum, come and help me. He's going to…_don't point that thing at me!" In a fit of rage, Harry had pulled his wand out from his waistband and was pointing it at Dudley's chest

"Don't ever talk about that again. Do you understand me?" Harry spat out menacingly.

Dudley had been reduced to a quivering wreck. "Point that thing somewhere else!"

"I said, do you understand?"

"Get that thing away from me!" Dudley screamed back. Suddenly Harry was aware of someone moving to stand between the two.

"Ok, boys, I think that this has gone far enough, ja? Vhy don't you put avay that…stick and go on home. It's getting dark." Elric reasoned, whilst looking oddly at Harry's wand.

'_Shit! How could I forget Elric was here? I just pulled out my wand in front of an oblivious muggle!'_

Harry and Dudley nodded hesitantly but before Harry had a chance to hide the wand from view; Dudley gave an odd, shuddering gasp, as though he had been doused in icy water. Elric looked at him questioningly before having the same feeling wash over him.

"Vhat-Vhat is happening?" Elric stammered, trying to see against the enveloping darkness surrounding him.

"S-stop it, Harry!" Dudley pleaded to which Harry replied, "I'm not doing anything! Stay still!"

The cold was so intense it had all three boys shivering. All light had been sucked out of the world, leaving them sightless, vulnerable.

'_They can't be here…not in Little Whinging'_

Suddenly the sound of hoarse rattling breaths cut through the night, reaching Harry's ears.

'_Shit! Dementors! Why are they here?'_

"Cut it out Harry!"

"I told you I'm not-" _WHAM _Dudley's fist connected with Harry's temple, causing him to fall to the floor. He heard Dudley's stumbling footsteps run toward the source of danger.

"Dudley, come back! You're heading straight towards it!" He heard Dudley give out a sickening yelp, followed by another sound of pain coming from his left. There was more than one.

Grabbing his wand, Harry performed the _lumos_ spell, causing a soft red glow to fight against the overwhelming darkness. His stomach flipped. A tall hooded dementor was advancing upon him, hands outstretched.

_Expecto Patronus_

The silvery steam that was emitted from the end of Harry's wand was nowhere near sufficient enough to stop the advancing dementor.

'_C'mon Harry, think of something happy…think…happy'_

Just when Harry believed that he would never be able to find a happy thought in his sea of misery, Ron's and Hermione's faces burst clearly into his mind giving him renewed determination.

_EXPECTO PATRONUS_

This time the spell had enough power behind it for the shape of a silver stag to form and charge at the dementor heading towards Harry. It flew away like a bat, defeated. The stag reared and galloped towards the dementor leaning across the motionless form of Dudley, causing that one to follow its kin.

Remembering the blonde, Harry called out to the stag, "THIS WAY" and headed back to where he heard the moan of pain from earlier. It was not long before Harry found the blonde flat on the ground with a dementor hovering over him as if to lean in for a kiss. Elric's arms were spread over his face and the dementor was having some difficulty in shifting the boy's right arm. This gave Harry time to order his Patronus to attack the dementor, causing it to soar away and disappear into the inky black darkness.

Moon, stars and streetlamps once again illuminated the park, banishing the eternal darkness that had earlier consumed it. Harry stood shaking in disbelief, turning when he heard his cousin wretch behind him. He looked very pale with dark circles lining his eyes and beads of perspiration trickling down the side of his neck; and he hadn't got anywhere as close to being kissed as Elric who was still lying motionless on the ground, his right arm fixed firmly over his face.

Swift footsteps resonated throughout the night, making Harry instinctively raise his wand, facing the intruder.

Upon seeing it was none other than his batty neighbour, Mrs Figg, Harry made to hide his wand, however, he paused in his actions when she whispered harshly, "Don't put it away, idiot boy! What if there are more of them around? Oh, I'm going to kill Mundungus Fletcher!"

**A/N I know that this is **_**very**_** similar to the actual prose in the book but I do have a reason for doing this. My thoughts behind it are that if Ed wasn't around, Harry Potter would've had the same adventures, so the same stuff would've happened. Therefore, I tried to stick pretty much to the book in the first chapter as Ed hasn't really had a chance to change anything yet. However, from the next chapter onwards, the plot will deviate more away from the storyline in the book as Ed has more influence on the events occurring. Thanks for reading and please review XD**


	3. Chapter 2: Reform Without Practice

Letters are above all useful as a means of expressing the ideal self; and no other method of communication is quite so good for this purpose. In letters we can reform without practice, beg without humiliation, snip and shape embarrassing experiences to the measure of our own desires...

~Elizabeth Hardwick

Chapter 2

"What?" Harry said incredulously, staring at the batty Mrs Figg in her tatty tartan slippers who was wringing her hands and fuming to herself.

"He left! I told him I'd flay him alive if he left, and now look! Dementors! Hurry, Harry, we have to get you back! Oh, this is going to cause so much trouble! I'm going to kill him!"

"But-wait-wha'?" Harry stood dumbfounded at the information his brain had so diligently analysed for him. _'There's no way, there's just no way…'_

"Snap out of it boy! Can't you see there are two people face down in the mud at your feet?" Mrs Figg stated in her shrill voice with the underlying yet tangible note of panic hidden within its depths.

Pulling himself out of his daze, Harry ran towards Elric, seeing that Dudley had simply fallen asleep; his arm lying in the pool of vomit he had just recently brought up.

Kneeling next to the blonde, Harry tried to pry Elric's right arm away from his face in order to assess the damage caused. Using an abnormal amount of force, Harry was able to move Elric's arm whilst Mrs Figg hovered over him.

"Oh, the poor dear! Looks like he's still trapped in whatever memory that dementor brought up!" She commented upon seeing Elric's blank eyes and his fear-stricken face. Harry went to agree before something once again triggered in his mind.

"You-You're a witch?" Harry questioned. At this, Mrs Figg stopped her mothering of the blonde and turned to curse the air in front of her. "No! I'm a god-damn _squib_ which Mundungus knows full well! Yet he still went and left you unprotected! And for what? A load of dodgy cauldrons! Oh, just wait until I get my hands on him!"

"W-Wait! Mundungus was protecting me?"

"Yes, on Dumbledore's orders. Fat lot of good that did, eh? He knows I can't use magic!" Continuing her fit of anger, Mrs Figg turned towards the sleeping Dudley and shrieked, "And you! Get up you useless lump!" Dudley's reaction was to remain asleep, ashen-faced and on the verge of vomiting again. Mrs Figg pulled on Dudley's arm in an attempt to pull him to his feet but to no avail.

"I'll do it" Harry offered, bending down to pick up his cousin and draped his arm over his shoulder, sagging under the weight. Looking across to the blonde, Mrs Figg sighed and went to pick up Elric, buckling slightly under the unexpected heaviness.

"Are you alright?" Harry queried.

"I'm fine, let's just go. This boy weighs a tonne!" Mrs Figg managed to say between laboured breaths. Tottering under the weight, Mrs Figg left the park and headed down Wisteria Walk; Harry on her heels dragging Dudley behind him.

Mrs Figg suddenly halted, causing Harry to run into her back. "MUNDUNGUS FLETCHER I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!" There was a loud crack and a strong smell of drink and smoke. A short gangly man with long straggly ginger hair and bloodshot baggy eyes materialised in front of them.

"'S'up, Figgy? What happened to staying undercover?" Mundungus asked, looking at the blonde Mrs Figg was holding up and then over to Harry and Dudley.

"Undercover?! _Dementors!_ That's what happened, you stupid man!" Mrs Figg yelled.

"D-dementors? Here?"

"_No, the moon, _OF COURSE HERE! AND WHERE WERE YOU?"

"Well…it was too good a deal to pass up and…well…"

"GO TELL DUMBLEDORE AND EXPLAIN TO _HIM_ WHY YOU WEREN'T HERE!"

"Ok, I'm going!" Mundungus yelled before disappearing with a loud _pop_ which indicated he had disapparated.

"I hope Dumbledore _murders _him" Mrs Figg muttered under her breath. "C'mon Harry I'll take you to the door." Mrs Figg led Harry towards his house. When they reached number 4, Harry turned and asked, "What are you going to do now?"

"I'm going to take this poor boy back to mine. If he doesn't wake up soon I'll have to get someone who can use magic in to look at him. Don't worry, I'm sure Dumbledore will sort everything out." With a comforting smile, Mrs Figg disappeared into the darkness, dragging the blonde with her.

Arabella Doreen Figg entered her small home, greeting her many cats. Pulling her neighbour Elric across the threshold, she dragged him towards the living room. Pausing to shoo a ginger tabby off the sofa, she managed to lay the blonde down in a more comfortable position than over her shoulders.

Now, while she was unable to do magic, there was one healing remedy that anyone could give. Chocolate. Reaching into a drawer, she brought out a small bar and kneeled next to the blonde. Unwrapping it and breaking off a small square, she pushed it between his lips and made sure that he ate it, without choking.

An owl hooted, perched high on top of her bookshelf, warily eying the multitude of cats that were lounging around below. Attached to its leg was a small scroll. Shooing her cats away, Mrs Figg managed to coax the bird down from its lofty perch and give up its message.

_Dear Arabella,_

_Please look after our young Mr Elric. I have some business to go over with him and it would be beneficial if he wasn't to disappear, whether it be his own doing or at the hands of the Ministry and the Obliviate curse._

_Don't worry about Harry, I am currently dealing with the matter. However, I'm going to have to ask that you appear on his behalf at a hearing. I'll send you the details as soon as I receive your answer. _

_Stay safe,_

_Albus_

Within a few minutes, the chocolate had begun to take effect and Elric cracked open his eyes, blearily looking around. A black cat rubbed against his side, purring contentedly, causing the blonde to chuckle. "Hmm, Al would love you. Always…was…too…" At this Elric once again lost consciousness and slipped back into the realm of dreams. However, rather than the pained expression he had before, his face was peaceful, causing Mrs Figg to sigh in relief. Sitting at her table, she swiftly wrote a reply to the Headmaster saying that of course she would appear on Harry's behalf, before tying it to the owl's outstretched leg and watching it fly away.

'_What business could you possibly have with a muggle Dumbledore?'_

* * *

Harry stood at the foot of his bed with a letter in each hand, another scrunched up into a ball at his feet. The first was written in Arthur Weasley's almost illegible scrawl warning him not to leave his aunt and uncle's house. _'No problems there' _His aunt and uncle had taken their precious _diddykins_ to the hospital, leaving Harry alone for which he was eternally grateful. The second was Mafalda Hopkirk, explaining that the prior decision to expel him had been reviewed and he had to attend a disciplinary hearing instead. Harry felt almost elated at the news. Without Hogwarts, Harry would have nothing to live for. Magic was something he just couldn't, wouldn't, give up. Collapsing on his bed, Harry allowed his mind to wander over more darker matters.

'_Why were there dementors in Little Whinging? Has the ministry already lost control?'_

'_I wonder how Elric is doing'_

* * *

**Hmm, i'm not too happy with this chapter and its shorter than usual as well. This is more like a filler before something actually happens, but don't worry...something will definitely happen XD please review and all that jazz **


	4. Chapter 3: When A Friend Is In Trouble

When a friend is in trouble, don't annoy him by asking if there is anything you can do. Think up something appropriate and do it.

E. W. Howe

Chapter 3

Harry was lying in his bed in the small bedroom at the end of the hall. His aunt and uncle were still at the hospital with their beloved son, leaving Harry alone in the silent house. It was late into the night, around eleven-thirty, but Harry found himself unable to fall asleep. He lay staring at the peeling ceiling willing sleep to come and claim him, just so that he could escape from the events of today, even if it was just for a minute.

_I've just been attacked by Dementors and I might be expelled from Hogwarts. I want to know what's going on and when I'm going to get out of here. I wonder if Elric is ok._

Harry shut his eyes tightly and tried to banish these thoughts from his mind. He instead concentrated on the faint gurgle the pipes emitted and the hypnotic creak the walls made, making it seem like the building was readying itself to rest.

Harry snapped his eyelids open when a large crash originating from the kitchen reverberated throughout the house, pulling Harry from his almost relaxed stupor. He tensed as voices echoed up the stairs.

Leaping out of bed Harry landed relatively gracefully on the floor, the thud slightly muffled by the threadbare carpet. Reaching up to his bedside cabinet, Harry grasped his wand and held it steady in front of him as he stood from his crouching position and made his way towards the door.

However, within two steps of his destination, the lock clicked as it gave way and the door swung open. Looking through the doorframe, all Harry saw was the darkened hallway. Hesitantly, Harry exited his room and looked around the hallway. Heading towards the stairs, Harry's heart skipped a beat as he saw the silhouettes of a relatively large group of people, all looking up at him.

"Lower your wand boy, before you take someone's eye out." a low voice growled from the bottom of the staircase. Harry faltered in his steps but didn't lower his wand immediately, "Professor Moody?" he inquired hesitantly.

"I don't know much about the Professor, didn't get round to doing too much teaching, did I? Now hurry up and get down here, we have things to do."

Although Harry lowered his wand, he was too suspicious to move. After all, he had spent nine months in the presence of a man he thought to be the real Mad Eye Moody, just to find that it was an imposter, and on top of that, an imposter who tried to murder him.

"It's alright Harry; we're here to take you away." A rather hoarse voice followed Moody's up the stairs. Harry gasped, "Professor Lupin?"

"Why are we standing in the dark?" an unknown voice joined the conversation and proceeded to perform the lumos charm, illuminating the staircase in a bright light. Harry recognised Moody and Lupin standing at the forefront of the group and gave a Cheshire style grin, which Lupin warmly returned.

"Wotcher, Harry!" the woman who created the lumos charm called out. Noticing Harry's bemused look, Lupin swiftly introduced each of the people present. When he introduced the woman as "Nymphodora Tonks" she swiftly assured him that he was to call her by her surname, her given name was for records only.

Harry looked around elated. After a summer of limited contact with the magical world, he was at last in the presence of witches and wizards. Better yet, witches and wizards who were going to take him to see his friends. The catastrophic events earlier that evening, which had obviously catalysed this 'rescue' mission, were pushed to the back of his mind.

Moody interrupted Harry and Tonk's conversation about her hair, which she had just turned an interesting shade of violet, to inform Harry that he "needed to get his stuff together as they still had to pick someone up"

"Pick someone up? Who?"

"Edward Elric."

* * *

Moody, Lupin, Harry and Tonks had broken away from the rest of the group and made their way towards Mrs Figg's house under the strict instruction of Moody who said that too large a crowd arriving at a relatively asocial woman's house in the dead night would attract too much attention. He was loathed to allow Tonks to come as well, until Lupin pointed out that this way Harry would have three, rather than two, guards.

Moody paused at the door and looked around the deserted street, causing Tonks to scoff lightly at his paranoia, which in turn earned her a stern glare from Moody's real eye, the prosthetic one still scanning the darkened street.

Deeming it safe, Moody knocked at the heavy wood door with three resounding thuds. The faint sound of Mrs Figg bustling behind the door could be heard as she no doubt moved several of her cats before opening the door.

"Oh, Alastair! I didn't think you would be coming to get the boy so soon!" Harry frowned slightly at the statement, he had been under the impression that the decision to get Elric had been made rather spontaneously. So why did Mrs Figg already know?

"Yes, well, Dumbledore's orders!" Tonks chirped from the back. Harry's frown smoothed slightly, of course Dumbledore would be behind it. The real question now was…

"Why does Dumbledore want Elric?" Mrs Figg asked. Lupin looked about distractedly; they were still standing in the street and were unwilling to talk about such matters in the open. Noticing Lupin's unease, Mrs Figg cursed her lack of hospitality and made swift haste in ushering them inside.

Now that they were inside, Lupin was far more eager to talk. "We don't really know to be honest Arabella. We've just been informed that Elric has been under Ministry surveillance for a while now and Dumbledore wanted a chance to meet with him before any auras came to Little Whinging with an Obliviate charm on their lips."

"Yes, that's what Dumbledore hinted at in his letter, but why are the Ministry interested in him? He's just a muggle!" Arabella asked the question that was on everyone's minds.

"That I can't answer, even Tonks and Kingsley who work with the Ministry don't know why. It's a strictly need to know basis, and they don't need to know. However, I think it's safe to assume that Elric is not _just_ a muggle." Lupin finished, leaving everyone present wondering just who the golden haired youth was.

* * *

Edward's head felt like it was going to split in two and a wave of nausea wracked his body every time he moved, even if it was only slightly. His left side felt unusually warm. Cracking open his eyelids, he saw a giant ball of purring ginger fur curled up next to him, sharing its body heat.

"Sodding cats, I will never know what Al sees in you." He muttered faintly in Amestrian. Ed made it a ritual to speak in Amestrian whenever he was alone. He was terrified that he would begin to lose his one last tangible connection to his world if he didn't speak his home language.

Hearing unfamiliar voices out in the hall, Ed tensed up slightly. Shooing the cat away from him so he could have greater freedom of his limbs, Ed sat up and steadied himself before standing.

That wave of nausea he had been feeling prior to standing increased tenfold causing him to loose his balance and hit the floor, cats scattering in all directions. Groaning as his face was pressed against the thick carpet, Ed became aware that the voices he had heard had suddenly risen in volume and the thunderous sound of footsteps running towards him did little to improve his mood.

"Oh! Mr Elric! You shouldn't try to get up yet!" _A female voice, sounding relatively familiar. Who was it?_ _Oh, that Figg woman. I must still be at her home._

"C'mon Lupin, let's get him back up onto the sofa." _Another female but this one was completely foreign, and who is this Lupin anyway?_

Ed stiffened as he felt a pair of hands grab him from under his arms, one getting uncomfortably close to his automail. He went to push the man off but found himself unable to tap into any of his reservoirs of strength, he was completely drained. Therefore, he was relieved beyond belief when the man unceremoniously dropped him on the sofa, letting go of his arms. Now, however, was the cue to open his eyes and find out what the hell was going on.

"Vhat is happening here? Vhere am I?" Ed asked, cracking his eyelids open and looking around the room blearily. He recognised Mrs Figg and raised an eyebrow when he saw Harry hovering by the door. However, taking up most of his field of vision were three people Ed had no recollection of. "Vho are you?"

A rather frail looking man who was shabbily dressed gave a heart-warming smile and stepped forward offering his hand, "I am Remus Lupin, and my companions are Tonks and Alastair Moody. I'm sure you've met Harry." Ed looked at the hand in front of him before reluctantly shaking it with his right hand, trying not to exert too much pressure. "Ja, me and Harry have had the pleasure of being acquainted…speaking of vhich that is somethink else I vish to be speaking vith you about."

"Yes, all in good time. There are a few more pressing matters at hand, unfortunately. Seems you have made quite a splash within the Ministry." Lupin probed the boy, trying to get an answer as to why the Ministry was interested without directly asking.

"De umm vhat? Ministry? I have not heard of any such thing and don't know how I could have made a splash at a place I am having no knowledge of." Ed answered, his forehead creased in a slight frown. "I vould prefer it if you just told me vhat the hell happened earlier and vhy I now feel like I haven't slept in veeks!"

"Would you like some chocolate? It should help you feel better."

"NO, I don't vant any bloody chocolate, I vant some god damn answers! Vhy the hell am I here?"

"We were rather hoping you could tell us Mr Elric" a rougher sounding voice was heard this time. Ed looked towards the strange man with…_was that an automail eye?_ He realised this was the Alastair Moody that Lupin character introduced.

"Tell you? I have no flipping idea vhat the hell you are talking about, for all I know is that this could just be some hallucination my brain has concocted due to lack of stimulation. However, if you are real, please tell me vhy you are here."

"Cor, he's hard to convince ain't he?" Tonks muttered under her breath towards Harry who was still hovering about the threshold of the room. Lupin frowned at the comment before turning back to the blonde haired youth sat upon the sofa, a ginger cat attached to his side.

"Well, Mr Elric, it appears that the Ministry has some kind of interest in you. They have had you under their surveillance for a few weeks now. Our superior, Albus Dumbledore, has requested to meet with you, before any Ministry lackeys request a similar thing."

"Stop dis speaking in riddles, just give me some straight answers. Vho is Albus Dumbledore and vhat is this Ministry anyvays?"

"The Ministry is better known as the Ministry of Magic and is an organisation, much like the government in the muggle world, which polices the wizarding world. Dumbledore is one of the finest wizards our side has." Lupin continued in his explanation. Ed sat on the sofa with an incredulous look on his face before bursting into peals of laughter.

"Ha ha ha, very funny, vizarding vorld…pfft! Come on, I do vant some real answers."

"That was a real answer Elric" Moody growled at the snickering blonde, halting the laughter immediately. Ed claimed an aura of complete seriousness and turned back to the trio surrounding him.

"No, seriously, there is no such thing as magic and vizards. Sorry to disappoint you." Ed answered rather coldly.

"Oh really? Well if magic didn't exist, would I be able to do this?" the woman, Tonks, asked before screwing her face up in determined concentration. Ed's face fell and took on an expression akin to terror as he watched her long violet hair shorten and change into a sleek pink bob.

_Envy! Shit, I'm too weak if it comes to a fight!_

All rational thought exited Ed's brain upon seeing a similar transformation to that of his half brother Envy. Despite knowing Envy had been used as a sacrifice by the Thule society decades ago, the instinctual area of his brain leapt to attention. One impulse was coursing through his body and that was to escape.

Leaping to his feet, Ed clapped his hands together as he saw the three adults begin to move towards him. Placing his palms on the wall next to him, Ed envisioned the array and caused the wall to deconstruct itself accompanied with a flash of blue lightening and then mould a door shaped hole, which Ed quickly slipped through.

Ed ran away from the house as quickly as his fatigued body would allow, the sudden shouts echoing from behind him only spurred him on. Looking over his shoulder to see if he was being followed, his vision turned red before he suddenly lost consciousness and fell to the ground.

* * *

"What the bloody hell was that?" Tonks asked incredulously while standing over the stupefied boy.

"I'm guessing that was the reason for the Ministry's interest" Lupin replied, picking up the boy, surprised by the unexpected weight.

"So, is he a wizard?" Harry asked whilst staring at Elric with a look of awe spread across his face.

"…I don't know, but he isn't just a muggle, that much is certain…" Lupin was cut off as Moody limped towards them, holding an empty beer bottle. "We can't fly with an unconscious passenger effectively, Tonks, go back to the others and tell them to leave. You go with them. Me, Lupin, Harry and Elric here will travel by portkey."

"Gotcher" Tonks said before disappearing with a loud _pop_. Moody turned to Mrs Figg and nodded farewell before instructing Lupin and Harry to grab hold of the bottle.

"Make sure you've got a tight grip on blondie there Remus." Lupin nodded before feeling the telltale pulling sensation behind his navel.

* * *

Shivering, Harry looked around. The houses looked decadent and uninhabited, the paint peeling from the doors and windows smashed in. The beat from a muffled stereo was travelling down to the street from one of the upper windows and Harry wrinkled his nose as the stench of rotting rubbish assaulted his nasal passages.

"Here" Moody growled, thrusting a piece of paper towards Harry. "Read and memorise."

_The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix may be found at number 12, Grimmauld Place, London._

**A/N OK, I'm weaning myself off the book! Soon I shan't need it at all, yay! Anyway, I've decided to stick to a more regular updating schedule so Delicious Ambiguity will be (hopefully) updated every other Thursday. I will have any reasons for being late up on my profile, but hopefully I won't be. **

**So, yeah, please review…they feed my inspirational muses! **


	5. Chapter 4: Interlude

A/N Ok, this is a bit different from the previous chapters. In fact this is more of a side chapter. It's from the POV of Winry back in Amestris and just gives a brief insight into the feelings of the people Ed left behind. It's not vital to the story, so you don't have to read it, but I would like it very much if you would. The next chapter will be uploaded on the 25th and will follow Ed meeting the inhabitants of Grimmauld Place.  
Although this is just a side chapter, I'd love you to review! Please?

I stared out of my bay window in the kitchen, seeing the sun begin to set upon the horizon, casting the last of its golden rays across the rolling hills. Al was standing by an old Oak tree, looking at the sunset with a contemplative expression on his face.

I looked down at my protruding bump of a stomach, placing a hand over it feeling a warm glow flow through my entire body. I was carying life within me. I had the ability to do what both Al and Ed couldn't do, bring life into this world without ending one is this.

I sighed. Ever since I have become pregnant, Al has become more withdrawn and introverted. I think this reminds him too much of Ed...makes him regret not being able to bring him back or resent the fact that Ed was forced to pay such a price to give him life when all I do is nurture this life inside me for nine months.

I looked back out of the window. I had lost track of time within my thoughts and saw that the sun had disappeared beyond the horizon, leaving an inky sky with a handful of glittering stars.

Al was still at the tree.

Reaching under the sink, I pulled out the old tarnished lamp. Dragging my swollen feet up the stairs, I exited onto the balcony and leant across the railing, flicking the lamp on and off. Like a lighthouse warning sailors of rocks, I was warning Al that he had better come back now if he didn't want a wrench to his head.

Looking down, I saw Al look up at the flickering light, giving me a relatively sheepish smile. Snapping out of his musings, he strode up the path and entered the house. However, I still didn't stop turning the light on and off.

On and off.

On and off.

Not everyone was back yet.

"Winry, come back inside." Al called from the threshold of the doorway.

"Not everyone is home yet...not...yet..." I stuttered, losing my thread of thought. My hand was still turning the lamp on and off automatically.

Al walked towards me and wrapped his arms around my waist, gently holding my stomach as if he was hugging his child. Resting his head on my shoulder, he whispered gently in my ear, "Winry...he's not coming."

"H-he has to...h-he h-has to c-come back...A-Al..." the lamp fell from my grasp hitting the floor. I collapsed into Al's arms, sobs wracking through my body. I heard him trying to comfort me but all his words blended together in one unintelligble mash up of meaningless words.

Ed, when are you going to come home? I refuse to believe you're gone...and I know in my heart of hearts Al hasn't given up on you yet.

"Al, I have to believe he is coming back. He came back before. You both did."

"I know Winry but..."

"No buts Al, I waited for you...I can wait a bit longer. You know that you believe he is coming home to, he just hasn't found the path yet."

"Winry...I can't put all my faith in this again...last time I was able to follow him, but I can't leave you."

"Al, just admit it. I know you think he is going to return."

I held still with baited breath awaiting his answer. He had stiffened, holding me in his arms.

"Yes," he answered hesitantly. "He has to come back."

I smiled lightly. I suddenly gasped when the child lying within my womb makes his presence known.

"Winry, what is it?"

"He's kicking Al." I answered brightly, guiding his hands to my stomach, splaying his palms over my skin. He chuckled lightly when he felt the child move within me.

"I love you Winry."

"I love you Al."

I do love Al, and there was nothing wrong with this picture. Even if Ed was still in Amestris, I doubt I would want him involved in such an intimate moment with a husband and his wife. However a part of me wished that he was still here, even if it was just to throw a wrench at his head for intruding.

Looking up at the stars, I whisper a small prayer to anybody up there who cared to listen.

_Please Ed, return to us._

_Don't leave us._

You are coming back Ed, aren't you?

You have to.


	6. Chapter 5: Why Am I Here?

_Where am I? Who am I? How did I come to be here? What is this thing called the world? How did I come into the world? Why was I not consulted? And If I am compelled to take part in it, Where is the director? I want to see him._

_-Soren Kierkegaard-_

"What's the order…?" Harry began to ask the trio of adults but was hushed into silence by Moody.

"Not here, wait until we're inside!" Moody snarled at the raven haired adolescent before pulling the piece of yellowed parchment from Harry's hands and setting it on fire via a spell from his wand-tip. Pulling his gaze from the curling scrap of parchment, Harry looked around the houses on the street. He saw number 11, 10 and 13 but number 12 appeared to be missing.

"Where is…?"

"Think about what was written Harry," Lupin urged. As soon as the address was clear in Harry's mind, number twelve seemed to expand out of nowhere, taking its place between number 10 and 11.

"Come on, we haven't got time to waste. This boy still hasn't regained consciousness." Lupin said, trying to hurry the group along. Moody nodded swiftly and made towards the door, the others following close to his heels. Lupin was bringing up the rear, seemingly struggling with Elric's weight.

"_I don't get it, he doesn't look__**that**__ heavy."_ Harry thought, but left his musings to himself. Upon reaching the battered front door, Moody pulled out his wand and tapped once on the oak panel. Harry heard a multitude of creaking and metallic clicks followed by the loud clatter of a chain. The door creaked open.

Moody stepped in first and motioned for the others to follow him. "Keep your voice down in the hallway, Harry, we don't want to wake anything up." Moody advised.

"Huh? Wake what up?" Harry asked, amazed that for once he was able to finish a question without being interrupted. However, the answer was not received as at that moment the sound of hurried footsteps echoed throughout the hallway which culminated in the appearance of Mrs Weasley who was beaming in welcome. She pulled Harry into a warm embrace and whispered, "Oh, Harry! I'm so happy to see you!" Letting go, she seemed about to converse with him further before the sight of the motionless Elric caught her eye over Harry's shoulder.

Her hands flew up to her face and covered her gasp of surprise. "What happened?" she questioned, obviously struggling to keep her voice low with this new development.

"We ran into a bit of trouble with this one Molly, Dumbledore has got some serious explaining ahead of him. Speaking of Dumbledore, is he here yet?" Moody growled out.

"No, not yet. The rest of the order is waiting for him in the dining room." Mrs Weasley muttered, her anxious gaze never leaving Elric's still body. "Such a young boy, what on earth does Dumbledore want with him?" She said, seemingly addressing no one in particular.

"We should wait with them then. Hopefully, this _kid_ won't wake up before Dumbledore arrives." Moody answered, indicating Elric with a casual pointing of his thumb across his shoulder. "We need to tell the order about his…abilities as well."

"Abilities?" Mrs Weasley questioned, but noting Moody's pointed glare at Harry before he went into the dining room along with Tonks and Lupin who also took Elric draped across his shoulder, she nodded in understanding and turned to the aforementioned teenager.

"Harry, Ron and Hermione are upstairs. Why don't you wait with them until the meeting is over and then I'll call you down for dinner." Mrs Weasley urged, pushing Harry gently towards the stairs.

"B-But…" Harry started but was silenced by Mrs Weasley's whispering. "We will explain everything later Harry, but I've got to join the meeting. Don't worry, we will make sure that Elric is ok. It's the first door on the right on the second floor. Now I've really got to go Harry." Mrs Weasley finished and left Harry stranded at the foot of the stairs to hurry in the meeting room.

Harry sighed whilst looking at the closed door. He wistfully considered eavesdropping before thinking better of it and begrudgingly climbing the stairs.

Pushing open the door Mrs Weasley indicated, Harry was met with a high-pitched shriek and the frantic cries of, "RON, he's here! Harry's here!" before he found himself with an armful of Hermione, her bushy hair tickling his nose. Tactfully releasing himself from her bone-crushing embrace, Harry grinned in response; firstly towards Hermione and then towards Ron who was sitting on his bed in the corner of the room.

"Alright Harry?" Ron greeted from across the room, chuckling slightly at the exasperated look Harry sent his way when he once again found himself enveloped in one of Hermione's enthusiastic hugs. "C'mon now 'mione, I think Harry needs to breathe." Ron pointed out to Hermione, causing her to swiftly release Harry, an embarrassed blush rising in her cheeks.

"I'm sorry but unlike some people," here Hermione paused and sent a loaded glare towards the red haired youth on the bed, "I am unable to show my relief that one of my best friends is ok after being attacked by simply sitting on my bed and saying _'Alright Harry?'_"

"Was that supposed to be me?" Ron asked, a feigned look of indignation attempted to take over his face but the effect was spoiled by the large grin.

"Yes Ronald, that was directed at you. Although as you're a man and therefore have the emotional range of a teaspoon, I understand why you are unable to show your relief in such an open manner as giving him a hug."

"Well, I'm glad we're on the same page." Ron replied with a smile, which earned him an irritated sigh; which, in turn, caused his smile to broaden.

Harry meanwhile was thinking over what Hermione had earlier said, "So, I take it you two know about the dementors?" Harry questioned, causing the playful bickering between his two friends to come to a halt.

"Well, yeah. Mum told us as soon as she found out. She was in a right state…kept muttering about how she was gonna kill some bloke for not staying at his post or something." Ron replied in a slightly more subdued tone of voice.

"We're just glad that nobody got hurt." Hermione added.

"Well, that's not entirely true…I mean I don't know how Elric is faring." Harry muttered mostly to himself.

"Who is El-" before Hermione could finish her question, she was cut off by two loud _pops_ and instead emitted an indignant shriek as she found herself being squashed by a tall ginger youth who had unfortunately apparated in her lap.

"Oi, get the bloody hell off of her George" Ron yelled whilst his brother Fred was sitting on the floor laughing at his twin's predicament.

"Oops, sorry 'mione, didn't realise you were going to be sitting there." George apologised as he got off of the bushy haired teen.

"Why can't you just be bloody normal and use the goddamned door?" Ron yelled at the twins who shared an impish look before chuckling.

"Normal? In this family?" Fred questioned. "No chance!"

Ron muttered several obscenities under his breath, which the twins tactfully chose to ignore; instead turning towards Harry with matching inquisitive looks plastered all across their faces.

"Speaking of abnormalities, what's with the kid Lupin dragged in?" Both Fred and George asked in unison.

"Well I was about to tell Ron and Hermione about him before you interrupted us." Harry remarked.

"Ah, well then, it's a good thing we did interrupt you then isn't it? Saves you the bother of going through it twice" Fred reasoned, whilst George sat next to him, nodding his head in silent agreement.

With a slight smile at the twin's logic, Harry launched into his rather fragmented explanation. "I don't really know him that well. He moved to Privet Drive about a year or so ago, but he didn't really talk to anyone so nobody really knew anything about him. He was there when the dementors attacked and, well, he came out of it slightly worse for wear.

"He was taken to Mrs Figg's house, who is a squib working for Dumbledore. When everyone came to pick me up; me, Tonks, Lupin and Moody went to Mrs Figg's as Dumbledore apparently wanted to see Elric, but nobody really knew why. However, he's apparently also under Ministry surveillance."

"What? But I thought you said he was just some muggle." Ron questioned.

"Well, I thought he was. I mean, he didn't recognise my wand and he seemed unable to see the dementors…but when he came to at Mrs Figg's home, well…let's just say what he did was decidedly un-muggle-like behaviour."

The group of teens leant forward in anticipation, wondering what kind behaviour Elric exhibited which warranted the intrigue of both the Ministry of Magic and Dumbledore.

"Well, we were trying to convince him that magic exists so Tonk's did her, y'know, transformation thing. However, that completely freaked Elric out and in order to escape he clapped his hands and there was this flash of blue light and there was suddenly a door-shaped hole in the wall."

"Wandless magic?" Hermione whispered.

"Yeah, but he would need to be a wizard to be able to do wandless magic." Ron retorted.

"So what is he?" Hermione added. The twins shared a look between them before nodding slightly. Whilst Fred rummaged around in his jeans pocket, George said, "We don't know what this Elric character is…"

Fred then pulled out a fleshy coloured string and finished George's sentence with a mischievous grin, "…but we know how to find out."

* * *

_Ed could feel the blood coursing through his veins, carrying adrenaline around the entirety of his body, causing his mind to go into hyper drive in an attempt to figure out a solution to this issue of dire proportions_.

"_Ed, what are we going to do?" Ed looked across to his younger brother who was trembling, eyes wide and filled with panic. Between them sat an object that looked seemingly innocent yet contained such a deadly amount of power._

_Power that was about to be released. _

"_Ed, we weren't there last time. So many died and we weren't there to stop it but now we are here. We can't let this go off!" Al's desperation was evident in his terror filled voice. Ed shuddered. They were too late last time. They were miles away from 'ground zero' when the bomb went off, but were close enough to see the complete and utter destruction that followed._

_The world seemed to hold still, as if holding its breath in anticipation. No sound could be heard, there was just a blinding light and an incredible heat wave. Then the shock wave hit, deafening both brothers momentarily and leaving them stunned._

_When they had finally made their way to what was left of the city in order to find survivors, all they were met with were the horrifying results of the detonation of an A-bomb. Not even bodies were left, having been vaporised by the intense heat, only the shadows of the thousands dead had been burnt into the bleached ground. Any who had managed to escape 'ground zero' were not able to escape the shock wave, resulting in burnt faces and hands; layers of skin peeled away from their limbs, hanging off of their frame like tattered rags. It was unbearable._

_Hiroshima would forever be scarred. _

_And now just three days later, the Americans were attempting to do the same to Nagasaki. However this time, Ed made sure that he and Al were there on time._

_A lot of good that did them. Although they had managed to gain control of the A-bomb, it had been set off inadvertently. Ed couldn't work out how to stop it. Nagasaki was going to be destroyed…along with both brothers._

"_I-I'm so sorry Al." Ed whispered, tears coursing down his face. "I can't stop it…"_

_Al gave his brother a small watery smile as the countdown reached zero. He grimaced lightly in shock and foreboding as he saw Ed clap his hands once. All turned dark._

* * *

"What happened Remus?" A disembodied voice roused Ed from his magically induced slumber, but he did not yet open his eyes. He attempted in obtaining clues of his whereabouts in ways that did not show his awakened state to his captors. The phantom voice was that of a woman and judging by the volume, she was close enough to be the same person currently cooling his face with a damp cloth.

"He attempted to escape and Alistair stupefied him." Ed lightly frowned, which seemed to go unnoticed by the unnamed woman. He recognised that voice, he was one of the men back at the cat lady's house…with the Envy woman.

Ed's eyes flickered open causing the ginger haired wiping his face to stiffen in shock. In one fluid movement, Ed leapt from his position on what he now saw was a moth eaten couch, and land away from the duo. His keen eyes saw that there were others in the room, along with _her_. Visualising the array in his head, Ed clapped his hands together and placed them palm down on the floor and…

Nothing happened. "Shit" Ed swore in Amestrian before making to run towards the door. However he was halted when a male voice that Ed recognised to belong to this Remus character called out "Petrificus Totalus". His limbs stuck fast to his body causing him to fall to the ground paralysed.

"What the hell is going on?" Ed growled out before realising that he had reverted to Amestrian and therefore would go misunderstood by the occupants of the room, and again that interfering woman bustled over and began cooing at him as if he was some child, still wet behind the ears.

"Molly, leave him be." The voice Ed recognised to belong to the other man who was present at the house of cats, the one with an automail eye, ordered which was replied with a series of flustered complaints from the woman it was directed at before she moved begrudgingly away from Ed.

"So, it seems your little escape act isn't working Mr Elric." Moody addressed the paralysed blonde. "Now we would like some answers, preferably in English please."

"Vhy am I here? Vhat do you vant with me?" Ed asked in a decidedly hostile tone of voice.

"What part of we want answers did you fail to understand? We are asking the questions here Mr Elric." Moody replied harshly, ignoring the pointed glare sent his way courtesy of Mrs Weasley.

"Well, for young Edward there to be able to answer questions surely he would have to be asked some first?" A voice could be heard from the doorway causing all inhabitants of the room, besides Ed, to turn round and see who the voice belonged to.

"Dumbledore? How long have you been here?" Tonks asked from across the room.

"I just arrived. Now, would anyone care to tell me why Edward is currently lying motionless on the floor?" Dumbledore asked whilst pushing his golden half-moon glasses further up the bridge of his nose.

"Well, he was rather reluctant to stay put…" Moody began but was interrupted by the blonde in question.

"Don't stand there talking about me as if I am not being here! Vhy am I here? I have done nothing to any of you!" Ed shouted from his position on the floor.

"I apologise Edward, this is not how I had planned our first encounter to go. However, the current circumstances have forced me to…how shall I put this? Speed along the proceedings."

"How do you know my name and vhy did you vant to meet with me?" Ed was becoming frustrated with having to repeat his questions, especially as he was being forced to stare up at the silver haired man whom he was talking to whilst lying flat on his back, unable to move. It was not helping his height inferiority complex and was contributing to his foul mood.

As if he was able to read Ed's mind, Dumbledore pulled out his wand. "Edward, if you give me your word that you will not run away, I shall give you full reign of your movements and we can continue this conversation civilly."

Moody grunted at this suggestion, which both Ed and Dumbledore chose to ignore. Ed allowed his eyelids to flutter closed whilst thinking over his options. There weren't many to go through.

Opening his eyes, Ed allowed his golden orbs to lock with Dumbledore's pale blue eyes before nodding. Dumbledore smiled gently before waving his wand and saying the incantation "Finite". Ed sighed as he realised he could once again move his limbs and was able to stand, but frowned when he attempted to think of how his temporary paralysis and subsequent recovery was achieved.

'_It's not magic. There must be some kind of scientific explanation behind this, there has to be! I just have to figure out what it is.' _

Ed's musings were cut short as Dumbledore brought him back to reality. "I believe you have some questions that need answering Edward."

"Huh, I thought that I vas the one who needed to be answering questions." Ed muttered whilst glaring at Moody who met his gaze coolly.

"I have a feeling that you will be unable to answer any of my questions truthfully unless you have a decent amount of trust in my intentions." Dumbledore reassured Ed with a small smile before looking towards the door behind him that headed out into the hall. "However, I think we should first invite the group outside in to join us." he said with a small twinkle in his eye.

"They wouldn't…" Mrs Weasley muttered before storming across the room and throwing the door open with enough force to almost pull it off its hinges. She glared down at the group of teens crouched by the door, especially at Fred who was attempting to hide a long fleshy coloured string.

"HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU TO NOT USE THESE…THESE THINGS!" Mrs Weasley yelled at the cowering youths at her feet. She seemed ready to continue to berate the group but halted when Dumbledore cleared his throat. Her face turned almost as red as her hair as she motioned for the teenagers to join them in the meeting room.

Once everyone was settled, and Ed had acknowledged Harry's presence with a small nod which was reciprocated, Dumbledore smiled and turned back towards Ed, who was currently feeling extremely out of place and slightly claustrophobic due to all the eyes that were trained upon him.

As if sensing Ed's trepidation, Dumbledore adopted what he commonly referred to as his first-years voice in an attempt to soothe his nerves. "You asked how I knew your name, and that is a reasonable request. However, to first level the playing field, I think it's prudent that you know all our names as well." Dumbledore went around the room, introducing each person in turn, noticing Ed's posture tense upon hearing Tonk's introduction. "As to how we know your name…well that also ties in with why you are here. Some of us have ties with the Ministry of Magic and your name has been appearing with frightening regularity. It seems that there are many officials interested in your…abilities."

"I take it you are referring to my alchemy." Ed cut in.

"Ah, so that's what it is. I was sure that alchemy was an ancient form of power, there hasn't been a documented case of alchemy in centuries."

"…Do you know anything about alchemy herr Dumbledore?" Ed asked, his eyes downcast.

"Not much, I'm afraid, although I am willing to bet that it is your ability of alchemy that has attracted the attention of the military."

"Hmm, that is most probably true…however, that is not being the reason for vhy I am inquiring about your knowledge on alchemy. Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is Alchemy's First Law of Equivalent Exchange. Herr Harry over there saved me earlier this evening…from vhat I am not too sure…but that does not change the fact that I am in his debt. Therefore, although I am not liking the vay in vhich you decided to capture me, I vill answer your questions to alleviate my debt. Equivalent exchange." Ed stated.

"It's ok Elric, I don't expect you to pay me back.." Harry attempted to reason with the blonde but was interrupted.

"No, equivalence is key. My debt vill be paid. Now ask your questions, I only ask that once I have given my answers you let me go."

"Very well Edward, if you wish, you may leave once you have answered my questions. My first question is regarding your alchemy. I have been told that you transformed a wall earlier this evening, but was unable to call upon your power when you tried to leave this room, why is that?"

"I understand that you don't know much about alchemy but do you know basic science? Energy can't be created or destroyed, it can only be changed. To get alchemy to vork you need to…vhat's the vord…fuel it?" Here Ed paused and rummaged around his trouser pocket. Pulling his hand out, he showed the room what he took from his pocket. A battery. "I absorb the electrical energy from this battery and use it to balance the equation. I guess this is, vell, out of juice…meaning I couldn't get any energy from it."

"Yeah, but our wands don't need any extra energy, and they work just fine." Ron stated indignantly.

"But that's impossible!" Ed cried out.

Ron grinned, "Nope, it's magic!"

Ed growled at the back of his throat, "There's no such thing as _magic_. There must be some scientific explanation for your abilities and your sticks."

Ron sighed, "C'mon, you're seriously telling me that you still don't believe in magic? Despite what you have seen this evening? And they're not sticks…they're _wands_. C'mon now, say it with me, w-a-nds."

Ed narrowed his eyes at Ron, "I don't appreciated being mocked."

Hermione apologised to Ed, coupled with a sharp elbow to Ron's ribs. Ed simply rolled his eyes in reply and turned back to an amused looking Dumbledore, "Vell, vhat is your next question?"

"When I was introducing everyone, why did you tense at Tonk's name?"

"Yeah, and it was only when she changed her hair that you, well, went off on one at Mrs Figg's." Harry added.

Ed closed his eyes and breathed deeply before opening them again. Turning towards Tonks who was standing close to the thin man Ed recognised as Remus Lupin, Ed said "I am sorry for how I acted towards you…it's just I have had a rather unpleasant experience with someone who had similar shape shifting talents to yourself."

Tonk's blinked at Ed in relative surprise at the admission but refused to probe any further, instead she graciously accepted his apology. Turning To Dumbledore Ed asked, "So, do you have any more questions?"

"Yes, just one. Are you sure you want to leave?"

"…I believe that was part of our deal was it not?"

"Yes, but only if you wished to do so. The truth is, the Ministry don't have the purest of intentions regarding your wellbeing. They see you as a threat that needs to be eliminated, and eliminated by any means necessary. Such is the world we live in…it has been thrown into turmoil, and I'm afraid you got caught up in it. I am head teacher at Hogwarts, a school of witchcraft and wizardry. I am willing to offer you shelter there, I can guarantee that you will be safe from the ministry."

Ed paused. Something Dumbledore had said spoke volumes, but Ed was unsure what it was exactly. Sighing, but simultaneously broadening his shoulders, Ed replied, "I need to think this over. Am I vright in assuming that you vill be able to contact me?"

"Yes, I'll send you a letter including all the details. What you do with it is up to you."

"So I am free to leave now?"

Dumbledore sighed, "Well, I suppose I can't really stop you, but I hope you do join us in September." Ed, however, was already halfway across the room. He paused in the doorway and said, "Like I said, I'll think about it." before leaving the house entirely.

"Hmph, d'you suppose that's the last we'll see of him?" Moody growled out. Dumbledore simply sighed and muttered, "I hope not."

* * *

It was only after a ten minute sprint in a random direction that Ed felt safe in the knowledge that he hadn't been followed. Leaning against a near-by wall, Ed reached into his inside jacket pocket and pulled out his carton of cigarettes that was looking a little worse for wear after today's escapades. After pulling out one of the few intact cigarettes he lit it with his trademark silver lighter. He inhaled a good amount of smoke and relaxed as he felt the nicotine enter his system. He knew this was a dirty habit, but everyone has their little addictions, this was his.

As he inhaled more smoke, Ed thought over the last thing Dumbledore had said to him. Something had struck a chord, but what was it?

"_Such is the world we live in…it has been thrown into turmoil."_

Why did that sound so familiar? Ed slid down the wall until his rear reached the ground with a soft thud. He took a last drag on his cigarette before stubbing it out on the ground next to him. He was in the process of lighting another when another voice enter his head.

"_The equation must be balanced. A world is in turmoil causing the formulae to become unequal. Fix it and your debt is filled. I believe that is equivalent exchange."_

Ed froze, the unlit cigarette mere millimetres from his lips.

'_That bloody gate!'_

A/N IT LIVES!

I am so glad exams are over and I can get back to writing again. In fact I was looking forward to writing this chapter so much that I worked non-stop after my exam earlier today to get it done! I guess I have probably lost so many readers by putting this on hiatus, so kudos to anyone who stuck with me and is still reading this!


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